Polish Author Wins Gemmel Prize

MacAllister · Jun 22, 2009

Heh. I've wondered from time to time about the need/desire/etc for either specific language rooms (Spanish and French are the languages most requested) or otherwise non-American rooms.

Fokker Aeroplanbau said:
Well, he is Polish; can't expect to much exposure.

Not to sound like I have something against Poles, I do love their food, but when one thinks "cultural powerhouse' one does not have a shining vision of coffee shops in Warsaw. I haven't heard of the book, that's for sure but maybe America in general could just be behind the curve; not us specifically.

Excuse me? Sheltered much? Google Jerzy Kosinski--or better yet, read two or three of his novels--then get back to us on that.

eyeblink · Jun 22, 2009

Or for that matter the late Stanislaw Lem?

Or Jan Potocki's The Saragossa Manuscript, basis of a 1965 film which I think is a masterpiece? (And a favourite of Neil Gaiman's, by the way.)

Or extending this to other Slavic peoples, there's Zoran Zivkovic (a Serb) who has won the World Fantasy Award.

May I join in as a friendly Brit? I'm not Polish, but I've visited the country three times and would love to go again. Some of my favourite films and their directors are Polish. I have Polish friends and have a few Polish characters in past and present WIPs.

Fenika · Jun 23, 2009

Oh, I have to write some of these down.

And Eye, you can definitely join.

And Mac, keep us posted on those non-American rooms

Fenika · Jun 23, 2009

Oh, no one's mentioned The Trilogy by Henryk Sienkiewicz. More strictly a classic to the Polish, but it has been translated and made into films. Those books make LotRs look like children's books though.

MattW · Jun 23, 2009

Bahamutchild said:
Oh, no one's mentioned The Trilogy by Henryk Sienkiewicz. More strictly a classic to the Polish, but it has been translated and made into films.

Wow. Lots of Polish authors I've never heard of...makes me feel very provincial in my reading.

I seriously doubt my library has any of these, and I have a strict budget of $0 for books.

Those books make LotRs look like children's books though.

Aren't they?

Vomaxx · Jun 23, 2009

Teodor Korzeniowski, anyone? English was his third language, but he wrote pretty well in it. He's usually known as Joseph Conrad.

MacAllister · Jun 23, 2009

MattW - you might be surprised. And very often, your public library will do interlibrary load.

Loken · Jun 23, 2009

Congrats to Sapkowski, he's a great writer and really has his own style. His The Last Wish and Blood of Elves are really worth the read if you're looking for darker fantasy. Shame though for Joe Abercrombie, he's frakking brilliant as well. Is there any list on who got 2nd and 3rd place?

Fenika · Jun 23, 2009

I think they all got runner up equally, but I only read 3-4 news clips.

ccv707 · Jun 24, 2009

There's been some great Science Fiction to come out of Poland in the last 15-20 years, at least what I've been told. Haven't read any of it yet, though I plan to at some point.

Polish Author Wins Gemmel Prize

MacAllister

'Twas but a dream of thee

eyeblink

Barbara says hi

Fenika

Fenika

MattW

Company Man

Vomaxx

MacAllister

'Twas but a dream of thee

Loken

Fenika

ccv707

He who asks, "Why?"